Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brisbane and Richmond, Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in Richmond: $2,462 a month against $2,644 in Brisbane, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brisbane, Australia
Richmond, Australia
Brisbane
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,644
/mo nomad
Richmond
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brisbane and in Richmond

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brisbane and in Richmond actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,644 per month in Brisbane vs $2,462 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Brisbane $2,644
  • Richmond $2,462

A couple spends around $3,821 per month in Brisbane vs $3,366 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Brisbane $3,821
  • Richmond $3,366

A family of three spends $4,999 per month in Brisbane vs $4,271 in Richmond, rent included.

  • Brisbane $4,999
  • Richmond $4,271

Brisbane costs about 7% more than Richmond, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brisbane and Richmond sit above the global median – Brisbane by 96%, Richmond by 82%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.81 A$25.44
$10.32 A$14.74
72.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.4 A$122
$85.4 A$122
0.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.28 A$16.10
$12.49 A$17.84
-9.69%
Cappuccino
$4.45 A$6.35
$3.49 A$4.99
27.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 A$4.00
$3.11 A$4.44
-9.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 A$3.50
$2.58 A$3.69
-5.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.60 A$12.28
$3.60 A$5.14
138.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.95
$8.57 A$12.24
-2.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 A$2.51
$1.57 A$2.24
12.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.57 A$3.66
$2.89 A$4.12
-11.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 A$3.12
$2.57 A$3.67
-15.18%
Eggs
$4.95 A$7.06
$5.55 A$7.92
-10.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 A$13.68
$6.83 A$9.75
40.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 A$12.87
$6.83 A$9.75
31.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.00 A$19.99
$6.84 A$9.76
104.68%
Apples (1kg)
$4.21 A$6.01
$3.99 A$5.70
5.51%
Banana (1kg)
$3.18 A$4.54
$3.03 A$4.33
4.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 A$3.99
$3.16 A$4.51
-11.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.83 A$6.89
$4.71 A$6.73
2.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.80 A$4.00
$3.07 A$4.38
-8.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 A$3.36
$2.55 A$3.64
-7.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 A$3.37
$2.39 A$3.41
-1.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 A$1.70
$1.42 A$2.02
-16.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$39.08 A$55.8
$35.44 A$50.6
10.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.84 A$18.33
$7.20 A$10.28
78.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.27 A$7.53
$5.63 A$8.04
-6.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91 A$7.01
$5.33 A$7.61
-7.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 A$0.52
$2.71 A$3.86
-86.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.39 A$30.54
$83.7 A$120
-74.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.61 A$3.72
$4.56 A$6.52
-42.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 A$2.68
$1.36 A$1.94
38.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.67 A$59.5
$30.34 A$43.33
37.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.11
$1.50 A$2.14
-1.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.4K
$29.8K A$42.5K
-2.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K A$37.0K
$25.7K A$36.7K
0.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 A$228
$228 A$326
-30.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 A$38.07
$28.17 A$40.22
-5.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.2 A$87.5
$56.1 A$80.1
9.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.1 A$87.2
$55.4 A$79.2
10.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.66 A$32.36
$17.66 A$25.22
28.31%
Cinema Ticket
$14.15 A$20.20
$17.62 A$25.16
-19.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,982 A$2,830
$2,495 A$3,563
-20.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.8K A$38.3K
$30.2K A$43.1K
-11.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.1 A$122
$82.1 A$117
3.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.37 A$66.2
$50.2 A$71.7
-7.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 A$159
$122 A$175
-9.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 A$156
$131 A$187
-16.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,957 A$2,795
$1,404 A$2,005
39.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,441 A$2,058
$1,239 A$1,769
16.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,481 A$4,971
$2,254 A$3,219
54.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,234 A$3,190
$1,806 A$2,579
23.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,571 A$13.7K
$5,896 A$8,420
62.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,938 A$9,908
$5,052 A$7,215
37.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brisbane
Richmond
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,134 A$5,904
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
5.9
-1.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brisbane: November 3, 2026

Last update for Richmond: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brisbane
$1.4K
Richmond
$1.2K 14.1% $203
Groceries & Markets
Brisbane
$362
Richmond
$321 11.4% $41
Eating Out
Brisbane
$310
Richmond
$220 29.2% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brisbane
$248
Richmond
$313 26.3% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Brisbane
$158
Richmond
$174 9.6% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Brisbane
$89
Richmond
$91 1.4% $1.3
Getting Around
Brisbane
$35
Richmond
$106 204% $71

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,957 in Brisbane versus $1,238 in Richmond. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Brisbane versus $85 in Richmond. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Brisbane vs $323 in Richmond – so Richmond wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Brisbane
🇦🇺 Richmond
🕒 Local time
21:30 9:30 PM
22:30 10:30 PM
1 h ahead of Brisbane
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,287,896
28,587
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brisbane Richmond 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brisbane
  • Richmond

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Brisbane vs Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brisbane or Richmond?
Brisbane costs about 7% more than Richmond, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Brisbane and in Richmond?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,965 per month in Brisbane and $3,693 in Richmond. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brisbane or Richmond?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Richmond, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,238 there versus $1,957 in Brisbane.
How much does it cost to live in Brisbane compared to Richmond?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,644 in Brisbane and $2,462 in Richmond. That makes Richmond about 7% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Brisbane and in Richmond?
Kindergarten costs $1,982 per month in Brisbane and $2,452 in Richmond. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Brisbane or in Richmond?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,644 in Brisbane and $2,462 in Richmond. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Brisbane or Richmond?
It depends on your priorities. Brisbane has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,462 in Richmond to $2,644 in Brisbane. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Brisbane compared to Richmond?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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